Lift gate assembly

Abstract

A lift gate assembly including a pair of spaced-apart columns, a pair of support members telescopingly received within the pair of spaced apart columns, a platform having a first section operably coupled to the pair of support members and a second section operably coupled to the first section, and a support element having a first end operably coupled with one of the pair of support members, and a second end operably coupled with the platform. The lift gate assembly also includes a support arm having a first end operably coupled to the platform and a second end operably coupled to the support element between the first and second ends of the support element, a first bracket fixed to the first section of the platform and positioned to restrict rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the columns, a second bracket fixed to the second section of the platform and positioned to restrict the rotation of the arm with respect to the second section of the platform, a third bracket fixed to one of the columns, and a fourth bracket operably coupled to the arm and adapted to engage the third bracket to restrict rotation of the platform with respect to the columns and to support the platform from the columns in a vertical direction when the platform is in a storage position.

1. A lift gate assembly, comprising:
 a pair of spaced apart columns; 
 a pair of support members telescoping received within the pair of spaced apart columns; 
 a platform having a first section operably coupled to the pair of support members, and a second section operably coupled to the first section; 
 a support element having a first end operably coupled with one of the pair of support members, and a second end operably coupled with the platform, wherein the support element supports the platform when the platform is in an in-use position; 
 an arm having a first end operably coupled to the platform and a second end operably coupled to the support element between the first and second ends of the support element; 
 a first bracket fixed to the first section of the platform that restricts rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the columns; 
 a second bracket fixed to the second section of the platform that restricts the rotation of the arm with respect to the second section of the platform; 
 at least one third bracket fixed to one of the columns; and 
 a fourth bracket operably coupled to the arm and adapted to engage the third bracket to restrict rotation of the platform with respect to one of the columns and to support the platform from one of the columns in a vertical direction when the platform is in a storage position, thereby preventing the platform from moving in a vertical downward direction with respect to one of the columns. 
 
     
     
       2. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 a stop member fixed with respect to at least one of the support members and positioned so as to abut the first bracket to restrict the rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the support members. 
 
     
     
       3. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fourth bracket comprises an L-shape having a first section and a second section, and wherein the second section engages a forward-facing surface of the at least one third bracket. 
     
     
       4. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one third bracket includes an upper bracket fixed to one of the columns at a first height, thereby supporting the platform at a first storage height. 
     
     
       5. The lift gate assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the upper bracket of the at least one third bracket is located with respect to the column such that the platform covers at least a portion of a rear opening of a vehicle to which the platform is coupled when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       6. The lift gate assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one third bracket includes a lower bracket fixed to one of the columns at a second height, thereby supporting the platform at a second storage height that is offset from the first storage height. 
     
     
       7. The lift gate assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the lower bracket of the at least one third bracket is located with respect to the column such that the platform is located below a rear opening of a vehicle to which the platform is coupled when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       8. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the support members are hydraulically telescopingly actuated within the columns. 
     
     
       9. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , further including:
 a ramp member operably coupled with the second section of the platform and that extends rearwardly of the second section of the platform when the platform is in an in-use position. 
 
     
     
       10. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support element comprises a chain. 
     
     
       11. The lift gate assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second bracket is configured so as to restrict the movement of at least a portion of the support element from between one of the pair of columns and the platform when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       12. A lift gate assembly, comprising:
 a pair of spaced apart columns; 
 a pair of support members telescoping received within the pair of spaced apart columns; 
 a platform operably coupled to the pair of support members and operable between a lowered in-use position and a raised storage position; 
 a support element having a first end operably coupled with one of the pair of support members, and a second end operably coupled with the platform, wherein the support element supports the platform when in the in-use position; 
 an arm having a first end operably coupled to the platform and a second end operably coupled to the support element between the first and second ends of the support element; 
 at least one first bracket fixed to one of the columns; and 
 a second bracket operably coupled to the arm and adapted to engage the first bracket to restrict rotation of the platform with respect to one of the columns and to support the platform from one of the columns in a vertical direction when the platform is in the storage position, thereby preventing the platform from moving in a vertical downward direction with respect to one of the columns. 
 
     
     
       13. The lift gate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the second bracket comprises an L-shape having a first section and a second section, and wherein the second section engages a forward-facing surface of the at least one first bracket. 
     
     
       14. The lift gate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one first bracket includes an upper bracket fixed to one of the columns at a first height, thereby supporting the platform at a first storage height. 
     
     
       15. The lift gate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the upper bracket of the at least one first bracket is located with respect to the column such the platform would cover at least a portion of a rear opening of a vehicle to which the platform is coupled when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       16. The lift gate assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one first bracket includes a lower bracket fixed to one of the columns at a second height, thereby supporting the platform at a second storage height that is offset from the first storage height. 
     
     
       17. The lift gate assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the lower bracket of the at least one first bracket is located with respect to the column such that the platform is located below a rear opening of a vehicle to which the platform is coupled when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       18. The lift gate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the platform includes a first section operably coupled to the pair of support members, and a second section operably coupled to the first section. 
     
     
       19. The lift gate assembly of  claim 12 , further including:
 a third bracket fixed to the platform and positioned to restrict rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the columns. 
 
     
     
       20. The lift gate assembly of  claim 19 , further including:
 a stop member fixed with respect to at least one of the support members and positioned so as to abut the third bracket, thereby restricting the rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the support members. 
 
     
     
       21. The lift gate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the support members are hydraulically telescopingly actuated within the columns. 
     
     
       22. The lift gate assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one support element comprises a chain. 
     
     
       23. A lift gate assembly, comprising:
 a pair of spaced apart columns; 
 a pair of support members telescoping received within the pair of spaced apart columns; 
 a platform operably coupled to the pair of support members and operable between a lowered in-use position and a raised storage position; 
 a support element having a first end operably coupled with one of the pair of support members, and a second end operably coupled with the platform, wherein the support element supports the platform when the platform is in the in-use position; 
 an arm having a first end operably coupled to the platform and a second end operably coupled to the support element between the first and second ends of the support element; and 
 a first bracket fixed to the platform, the first bracket restricts the rotation of the arm with respect to the platform and that restricts the movement of at least a portion of the support element from between one of the pair of columns and the platform when the platform is in the storage position by directly abutting the supporting element; 
 at least one second bracket fixed to one of the columns; and 
 a third bracket operably coupled to the arm and that engages the second bracket and restricts rotation of the platform with respect to the columns and supports the platform from the columns in a vertical direction when the platform is in the storage position. 
 
     
     
       24. The lift gate assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the third bracket comprises an L-shape having a first section and a second section, and wherein the second section engages a forward-facing surface of the second bracket. 
     
     
       25. The lift gate assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one second bracket includes an upper bracket fixed to one of the columns at a first height, thereby supporting the platform at a first storage height. 
     
     
       26. The lift gate assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the upper bracket of the at least one second bracket is located with respect to the column such that the platform would cover at least a portion of a rear opening of a vehicle to which the platform is attached when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       27. The lift gate assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one second bracket includes a lower bracket fixed to one of the columns at a second height, thereby supporting the platform at a second storage height that is offset from the first storage height. 
     
     
       28. The lift gate assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the lower bracket of the at least one second bracket is located with respect to the column such that the platform is located below a rear opening of a vehicle to which the platform is attached when the platform is in the storage position. 
     
     
       29. The lift gate assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the platform includes a first section operably coupled to the pair of support members, and a second section operably coupled to the first section. 
     
     
       30. The lift gate assembly of  claim 23 , further including:
 a fourth bracket fixed to the platform and restricting rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the columns. 
 
     
     
       31. The lift gate assembly of  claim 30 , further including:
 a stop member fixed with respect to at least one of the support members and positioned so as to abut the fourth bracket restricting the rotation of the platform with respect to at least one of the support members. 
 
     
     
       32. The lift gate assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the support members are hydraulically telescopingly actuated within the columns. 
     
     
       33. The lift gate assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one support element comprises a chain.